The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system that notify a contribution degree to natural resource saving to thereby encourage contribution to the natural source saving.
Conventionally, there have been proposed various image forming apparatuses designed to contribute to the natural source saving, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-208292, for example.
In a method of managing the number of printed sheets in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, the number of used sheets of a user in a period selected by the user (on a monthly basis, on a weekly basis, on a daily basis) is displayed, and when the number of used sheets of the user exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, warning display is performed.
However, in the conventional method of managing the number of printed sheets, the user can know the number of used sheets by himself or herself, but does not know a level of the number of used sheets by himself or herself in comparison with those of other users.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming system capable of encouraging contribution to natural source saving by reduction in the sheets to be used by a user knowing a level of the number of used sheets by himself or herself in comparison with other users.